The Democratic Congress Takes a Stand - Against Cell Phones on Planes

Trivial, but it's got my support:

Cell phone calls on airplanes in flight are not only unsafe, they're obnoxious and they should be permanently banned, according to some members of Congress.

House members, most of whom board airplanes almost every week, traded horror stories Thursday about their worst experiences with annoying fellow passengers who talk loudly on cell phones before takeoff and after landing. One lawmaker said his wife sat next to a woman who loudly discussed her sex life on the phone.

His wife was jealous, the Congressman did not say.

Another House member topped that with the passenger sitting him behind on one flight who got a "dear John" phone call from either his wife or sweetheart just before takeoff. The begging and pleading was just terrible to listen to, he said. Finally, with the plane ready to take off, a flight attendant had to threaten to have U.S. Marshals drag the man off the plane before he finally put his phone away.

I have never understood why people beg and plead when someone dumps them. It just strikes me as utterly stupid and pointless. If you reach that point, it's over. Especially when the person breaks up with over the phone right before your plane is about to take off.

On the other hand, I tentatively am in favor of wi-fi on planes, but only if it blocks VOIP, obviously.

You know what would come immediately after that? Entrepreneurs offering on-board tech support.

Comments

[Mold]

Like smoking, many cell users project their obnoxious selves into your personal space. Walk down the streets of Philly and note how many stenchers will go upwind of your path. Nearly every reekhead will move to be upwind. Not from necessity, but from the desire to be an @sshole and get away with it.

Try lodgings that are supposed to be smoke-free. Most have had poo-suckers sneaking dregs, not for the addiction release, but to stink up the room.

Only with the public frowning continually on the practice do reekers even marginally modify their practices. Then they whine about their precious freedoms. Umm. You do not have a constitutionally protected right to be an @sshole. You are not Entitled to be a jerk.

[Aquagirl]

Can Congress use its uninterrupted plane time to maybe think up an energy policy before our economy and environment go down in flames? Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.